LARGO, FLA. (July 18, 2016)– The Florida Department of Health has honored Joshua Hoover, Sunstar Paramedics’ employee development and support coordinator, with the “EMS Injury Prevention” award. Hoover was recognized for his outstanding work in increasing safety for Sunstar Paramedics.

“Josh has made incredible contributions to our employees’ safety, and the safety of their patients,” said John Peterson, chief operating officer for Sunstar Paramedics. “He is an exceptional EMS professional who is dedicated to quality patient care and outstanding service.”

Over the past year, Hoover has implemented several programs aimed at reducing employee injuries. He was instrumental in rolling out the Fit Responder program, which changed the way Sunstar Paramedics employees how they think about preparing for their shift and how they lift and move patients during their work. He started the Lockout Tagout program, which helped decrease the number of mechanics who were injured by equipment failures. Hoover also improved Sunstar Paramedics’ Emergency Vehicle Operations Command (EVOC) course and led a road safety program to improve employees’ driving habits.

Hoover started his career with Sunstar Paramedics in 2010 as a paramedic. A passionate clinician, he was promoted to a Field Training Officer in 2011, then an assistant supervisor in 2013. During this time, he created new protocols for patient movement that keeps both the first responder and patient safe. One protocol is the “Torpedo Move,” which safely moves a patient from a dialysis chair to a stretcher. In 2015, he was promoted to employee development and support coordinator and safety officer.

In 2015, Hoover was recognized as “Paramedic of the Year” by the Pinellas County Board of Commissioners meeting for exemplary service to the community. Additionally, he has been recognized by Sunstar Paramedics for his excellence in patient care, professionalism and efficiency in November 2014 and February 2015.

Hoover received the EMS Injury Prevention Award on July 13 at the Hilton Double Tree in Orlando during the ClinCon Annual Conference, which focuses on the education of emergency providers and EMS personnel.

About Sunstar Paramedics:
Sunstar is the 911 ambulance transport service for all Pinellas County residents, employing 550 local residents, and responding to around 500 calls a day. Highly awarded and accredited, Sunstar utilizes state-of-the-art equipment and software, and (along with parent company Paramedics Plus) is an innovator of the industry’s best practices. Sunstar’s people are heavily involved in Pinellas communities, focusing largely on public safety programs for the public and for schools. Sunstar is also a recipient of the Florida Governor’s Sterling Award, the state’s most prestigious award recognizing “role models for organizational performance excellence.” More info at SunstarEMS.com.